ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bank — for money
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. face — to confront
  5. shower — rain
  6. bank — for money
  7. firm — decided
  8. face — to point toward
  9. firm — steady
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. roll — a cake
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. firm — a company
  16. bank — of a river
  17. shower — to wash
  18. face — part of the head
  19. roll — a list
  20. land — ground
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. land — to come down

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com